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meanypanini's review against another edition
2.0
I tried reading Ender's Game, but found the main character kind of annoying (I know how heinous of me). I read through this book, but didn't like it for the same reason. It's a very specific pet peeve, but I don't like stories revolving around a know-it-all kid. Maybe Young Sheldon did something to me...
calbowen's review against another edition
1.0
I could not get into this at all - I tried - I would take a break and try again - I would wait until I was starving for reading, and I still could not get through this - it was worse than trying to drink mud - for all of you that love this, I am sorry, but I could not get even to the half way point ... my apologies OSC -
jgurniak's review against another edition
3.0
Do you ever read a book and feel like if you had read it however many years before that you would have liked it? For me, this is one of those books.
If I had read Seventh Son when I was around 14 then I think I would have enjoyed it much more.
If I had read Seventh Son when I was around 14 then I think I would have enjoyed it much more.
bittersweet_symphony's review against another edition
4.0
A uniquely American fantasy series that avoids being predictably derivative of the British fantasy of Tolkien: as many series are. Based on an epic poem (unfinished) by Orson Scott Card, Seventh Son is the first of what will eventually be 7 books (it's been several years since the 6th book came out). The Alvin Maker story really takes off during book three, which isn't to say the first 2 don't have a load to offer readers.
It's an imaginative alternative history of frontier America. Those less familiar with American religious history may not realize that this story is a thinly-veiled retelling of Joseph Smith's origins, the founding prophet of Mormonism. A book that can be enjoyed by those knowledgeable about its inspirations or not, the world-building is top-notch, colorful, textured, and vibrant.
The real magic comes from the way in which Card takes idioms such as "she has such a knack for finding water" and literalizes them to create an enchanting earlier America.
The Alvin Maker Series deserves a lot more attention than it has received and would make a phenomenal tv series.
It's an imaginative alternative history of frontier America. Those less familiar with American religious history may not realize that this story is a thinly-veiled retelling of Joseph Smith's origins, the founding prophet of Mormonism. A book that can be enjoyed by those knowledgeable about its inspirations or not, the world-building is top-notch, colorful, textured, and vibrant.
The real magic comes from the way in which Card takes idioms such as "she has such a knack for finding water" and literalizes them to create an enchanting earlier America.
The Alvin Maker Series deserves a lot more attention than it has received and would make a phenomenal tv series.
kathydavie's review against another edition
3.0
This was different. I had read one of the books from this series years ago and it had fascinated me. I got motivated to search out the first in the series...I'm curious enough to want to know what happens next.
Card has created a, well, I guess a parallel world to our own. In Seventh Son, pioneers are settling in Hio and I can't tell if America exists or if it's just Americans. There are seven states...one of which is the Irrakwa---Ben-the Maker-Franklin wouldn't let the other six sign the American Compact unless they agreed that the Indians were also equal. Geo. Washington declared he was an American renouncing King Robert and got his head cut off.
Witchings and hexes work although the Church believes that witches are of the devil. People have "knacks" and talents which the Church disbelieves; yes, the prejudices are there and just as ignoble and ignorant as ever---I DO like Alvin Junior's queries?!!?
And, in all this, Alvin, the seventh son of a seventh son, has a purpose on this earth. To counteract the Unmaker.
Forgot a couple of good quotes:
"The preacher retreated to authority as soon as he feared his ideas could not stand on their own merit."
"A man always assumes that others are as virtuous as himself."
Card has created a, well, I guess a parallel world to our own. In Seventh Son, pioneers are settling in Hio and I can't tell if America exists or if it's just Americans. There are seven states...one of which is the Irrakwa---Ben-the Maker-Franklin wouldn't let the other six sign the American Compact unless they agreed that the Indians were also equal. Geo. Washington declared he was an American renouncing King Robert and got his head cut off.
Witchings and hexes work although the Church believes that witches are of the devil. People have "knacks" and talents which the Church disbelieves; yes, the prejudices are there and just as ignoble and ignorant as ever---I DO like Alvin Junior's queries?!!?
And, in all this, Alvin, the seventh son of a seventh son, has a purpose on this earth. To counteract the Unmaker.
Forgot a couple of good quotes:
"The preacher retreated to authority as soon as he feared his ideas could not stand on their own merit."
"A man always assumes that others are as virtuous as himself."
fleisck's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
brendalovesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
The first time I read this book I was a bit disappointed. I was expecting another Ender's Game, therefore I found it slow and a bit boring. The second time I read it, I took more time to think about what I was reading, and I loved it. Yes, this book was completely different than Ender's Game, but not in a bad way. There is a lot of symbolism there if you take the time to see it. And I loved the story. Granted it's not action packed or even action anything, but I really found it interesting.
followyourfeetfriday's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
itsfreelancer's review against another edition
4.0
What did I just read??? It feels good to return to Fantasy. Specially more when you've your American history, Christianity and the dominance of pagan religions interlaced together.
Right off the first chapter I realised this will be a quintessential classic Tolkienesque fantasy. The stuff that high fantasy always has. character and world building and travelling. The complete book itself is mainly a preface. When you reach the last page and close the book, only then you realise that the story will just start.
Takes me back to the time when I started The Wheel of Time and the mammoth first book was spend moving from one location to another and gathering their bearings. I love it. If you can write a 400 page book just to build you up for something amazing, you're indeed a prolific writer.
You see the real world only when you get out. Living with parents, not worrying about paying rent or looking at your last packet on instant noodles for dinner is something that almost everyone has done. The game begins once you are out. Seventh Son is exactly that book. It gives you a taste of the comforts and laughter and cries (to the character as well as to the story as a whole).
I did not find any foreshadowing but I feel it in my gut that there's a long way to go. And hopefully, a long, amazing ride.
Right off the first chapter I realised this will be a quintessential classic Tolkienesque fantasy. The stuff that high fantasy always has. character and world building and travelling. The complete book itself is mainly a preface. When you reach the last page and close the book, only then you realise that the story will just start.
Takes me back to the time when I started The Wheel of Time and the mammoth first book was spend moving from one location to another and gathering their bearings. I love it. If you can write a 400 page book just to build you up for something amazing, you're indeed a prolific writer.
You see the real world only when you get out. Living with parents, not worrying about paying rent or looking at your last packet on instant noodles for dinner is something that almost everyone has done. The game begins once you are out. Seventh Son is exactly that book. It gives you a taste of the comforts and laughter and cries (to the character as well as to the story as a whole).
I did not find any foreshadowing but I feel it in my gut that there's a long way to go. And hopefully, a long, amazing ride.
jdhacker's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I'm a huge fan of Ender's Game, and everything Ender related. Its very likely you are as well, if you're reading OSC unless you picked this book up by accident. I'm even a fan of quite a bit of OSC's short fiction. Despite some of the deeply ingrained cultural ideas of Mormonism, I think there's a lot of thought and complexity going on in a lot of what he's written, reflecting some real internal strife.
Seventh Son is...none of that. The general idea of old american (and apparently in later books, other cultural traditions') folklore and folk-magic by and large being real is a great conceit to start from. There's a lot to explore, including the clash of more organized religion and the folk traditions. The non-white traditions and peoples aren't handled to well in this initial book, though I'm told that improves somewhat over the course of the series. I would even have settled for a more fantastic and straightforward treatment of Mormon beliefs as magic.
Unfortunately, what we mostly end up with is a relatively shallow good vs. evil (couched as 'maker' vs. 'unmaker') story, where the both the good and bad guys are relatively one-dimensional, lacking the ethical and moral grey areas OSC handles so well in Ender. It also ends up really heavily skewed towards christian beliefs and mythos, with even the maker and unmaker ideas being very thinly veiled christ/antichrist or divine/satan metaphors. It feels a little like religious propaganda as it stands. Making it focus on a child hero, like Ender, was also an odd choice, given that that there is none of the same sort of ethical struggle surrounding using a child as a savior regardless of the personal costs.
Unless it was going to be more anthology series, with each book touching on different tales of folk traditions in the americas (or elsewhere) being real, I think this might have also been better off wrapped up in one, longer novel rather than the extended series.
Its a pretty light/rapid read, but probably not worth seeking out.
Seventh Son is...none of that. The general idea of old american (and apparently in later books, other cultural traditions') folklore and folk-magic by and large being real is a great conceit to start from. There's a lot to explore, including the clash of more organized religion and the folk traditions. The non-white traditions and peoples aren't handled to well in this initial book, though I'm told that improves somewhat over the course of the series. I would even have settled for a more fantastic and straightforward treatment of Mormon beliefs as magic.
Unfortunately, what we mostly end up with is a relatively shallow good vs. evil (couched as 'maker' vs. 'unmaker') story, where the both the good and bad guys are relatively one-dimensional, lacking the ethical and moral grey areas OSC handles so well in Ender. It also ends up really heavily skewed towards christian beliefs and mythos, with even the maker and unmaker ideas being very thinly veiled christ/antichrist or divine/satan metaphors. It feels a little like religious propaganda as it stands. Making it focus on a child hero, like Ender, was also an odd choice, given that that there is none of the same sort of ethical struggle surrounding using a child as a savior regardless of the personal costs.
Unless it was going to be more anthology series, with each book touching on different tales of folk traditions in the americas (or elsewhere) being real, I think this might have also been better off wrapped up in one, longer novel rather than the extended series.
Its a pretty light/rapid read, but probably not worth seeking out.